Wilbur and McMahon Schools

Wilbur and McMahon Schools is one of the small primary schools in Little Compton, Rhode Island, run under Little Compton, with 216 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 8. Compared to the state average of about 332 students per school, that is 35% below typical.

Operationally, Wilbur and McMahon Schools answers to Little Compton, which sets policy, hires staff, and reports enrollment to the state.

On demographics, Wilbur and McMahon Schools reports that the student body is overwhelmingly White (90%). Other groups include 5% Black, 5% Hispanic.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 29 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 7.5:1 students per teacher. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 13.6:1 average. Around 18% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Newport County (around 38%), the school's rate is somewhat below typical.

In the area at large, census data for Newport County shows median household earnings sit near $103,514, about 54% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 5%. Across Newport County's 21 public schools (combined enrollment of about 7,784 students), Wilbur and McMahon Schools is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Gaudet Middle School, around 5.5 miles off. Within ten miles, there are 8 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas.

The campus sits in a rural setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Wilbur and McMahon Schools's enrollment has declined 13% since 2018, when it stood at 248 (now 216). White enrollment moved from 95% to 90% across the same window. Class-load math has narrowed: from 9.1:1 in 2018 to 7.5:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.